A VERY UNHAPPY CHRISTMAS
by spittlepig
Summary: a bad chance of circumstances ends up with the two enemies spending the holidays together. Snape's ... but more possibly Sirius' ... worst xmas ever.
1. Chapter 1

chap 1

"shit! shit. shit. shit. shit. shit…" he had his broad gloveless hands pressed up against his eyes. hoping that what was lying at his feet would suddenly vanish when he uncovered them again. but it didn't. "shiiiiiiit. shit.shit.shit.shit.shit." he resumed more quickly.

"would you shut up?" came a serious hushed voice from about waist-level. the owner of the voice usually had a kind demeanor. but this situation gave him justifiable cause to be angry.

Remus Lupin was kneeling over the twisted body of Severus Snape. Sirius Black was up on his feet beside them. pinkknuckled hands half over his face. muttering the same word over and over again. under his cloudy breath now.

the snow lit around them quite blusterously. despite having to have weaved around the Forbidden Forest's latched twiggy canopy. flakes the size of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans landing on the deep black robes of Snape. they melted down the sides of his long crooked nose. falling into the bloodencrusted hollows that had one time been his eyes. his shoulderlength stringy black hair was splashed all about the top of his head messily. and Lupin worked carefully to pick it from the scabbing.

"is he dead?" Black asked. finally lowering his hands from his face. dark stubble shadowed just the underside of his jaw. lingering down his throat. the rest of his face cleanshaven. large locks of handsomely unkempt hair fell about his dark frantic eyes. his cheeks and nosetip were tinged pink from the cold. he was rubbing at his braceleted hands to try and give them back some lost warmth. his wand still clutched in his fingers. an olivegreen hoodie stuck out from the back collar of his black peacoat. tight faded jeans with large rips in the knees clutched tightly around his legs. expressing his knowing how handsome he was and complete willingness to show it off. even despite it risking hypothermia.

Lupin pulled his red knitglove off one hand and reached up to press his fingers beneath Snape's jawline. feeling for a pulse. and found a faint one. "no." he said. sitting back. his eyes never leaving the unconscious man.

Lupin wore a red and yellow striped knithat which stuck up at the sides. making it look as though he was hiding a pair of long ears beneath it. old shirts and vests were tucked warmly under his olivergreen downfilled coat that had a whitefur lining around its hood. an orange scarf was wound about his neck and chin to keep warm.

"what are we gonna do him?" Black asked. looking about the empty forest.

"we'll have to take him back to the shack." Lupin said easily.

"what?" Black asked. alarm in his voice.

"well we can't leave him out here." Lupin threw an arm out to indicate the ominous forest whose ground was quickly stacking up with a blanket of snow. "he'll die."

"wouldn't be a bad thing thou-OW!" Black had received an elbow to the shin before he'd been able to finish his remark. and he scowled at the back of Lupin's head.

ignoring the cursing uttering from Black's mouth. Lupin moved around Snape. straightening his body out and getting him ready for carrying. when he was finished. he dug his hands beneath Snape's shoulders and looked up. "c'mon." he said to the stillscowling Black. "grab a hold of his legs."

"hang on." Black said. shoving his wand into his back pantspocket. he bent down and began rifling through Snape's cloak.

"oy." said Lupin reproachfully. "don't pick his pockets."

"i'm not pickin' his pockets." Black replied irritably. "keep yer tail on." and he brought a long black stick from the recesses of the dark cloak. holding it up in the air to prove it wasn't a galleon. "don't want stinky Snivellus to wakeup and zap us a new asshole." he said as he shoved the long stick haphazardly behind his ear and took up Snape's feet as ordered. but he let them fall backdown with a start. "fuck." he murmured.

"what?" Lupin asked surprisedly.

"his bloody legs are broken." Black admitted. his face screwed up in slight disgust. "felt weird." Lupin gave him a look just short of a scowl. and he answered it back by throwing up his eyebrows. "wha-" he began.

"don't drop him!" Lupin barked. his breath coming out in silvery clouds.

"look i'm sorry." but he did not take up Snape's feet again. instead Lupin gave an irritable sigh and set Snape's shoulders gently back down. coming over to where Black stood. "get him up and put him on my back."

when Black didn't move at first. Lupin shoved him. "c'mon. it's bloody freezing." and begrudgingly Black did that. lifting the surprisingly light deadweight Snape off the ground and hanging him over Lupin's strong shoulders. his black head clunked against the side of Remus' blonde one as he was shifted into a more comfortable position for carrying. and Lupin set off towards the neck of the forest with a call over his shoulder. "grab his bag."

Sirius looked down to see Snape's darkgreen messengerbag turning black as it soaked up the snow. the top had come unclasped and a couple of Snape's books and papers were already looking completely saturated. diffidently. Black kicked the books back inside the bag. hearing the tinkling of broken glass. and swept the toe of his boot through its shoulderloop. kicking it up into his hands.

he let it drag on the ground behind him as he followed Lupin's path through the snow. leaving some of Snape's holiday homework behind to wrinkle in the snow.


	2. Chapter 2

it'd only been half a week into chirstmas break from Hogwarts on their sixth year. and already Sirius had messed it up for himself.

Lily Evans, James Potter, and the Marauders' wormy little fourthbody Peter Pettigrew, had all gone off to visit Lily's parents' house for christmas. and though it was Black's turn to stay with Lupin. he more often than not remained at the Shrieking Shack on the years that he was allowed home. because the thought of having to go back to Gimmauld Place was heartbreaking.

but this particular vacation was beginning to look as though Grimmauld Place would have been a step up in holiday spirits. compared to the looming sinking feeling he was starting to get with the darkchance that he'd have to spend christmas with Severus Snape. or even more so – Severus Snape who'd caught one of Sirius' curses right in the face.

he sat stooped over the closed toiletseat upstairs. a cigarette between his fingers and a halfchugged butterbeer clutched between his hands. thinking. he could hear Lupin walking about below him. and in his mind traced his friend's path through the dusty floorboards. as he cared for the unconscious Snape.

Black'd stripped out of his peacoat and hoodie and white teeshirt. which all now lay in a heap beside the wall. wearing nothing but his stillwet jeans.

he'd run upstairs as soon as they'd got back to the shack. making a b-line through the kitchen for the beer and then promptly locked himself in the upstairs bathroom. fishing a crumpled pack of cigarettes from his pant's pocket. he hadn't once looked to see how Snape was or what Lupin was doing. and Remus never said anything about it.

'_of all the fucking people to be walking through those bloody woods…_' he was thinking to himself. '_it had to be Snape…it_ had_ to be Snivellus!'_ he knew. that as soon as word got out that he'd attacked a fellow student – let alone a known enemy – on Hogwarts' schoolgrounds no less. he'd be expelled. there'd be no denying it to teachers when they returned. Snape would spread the story through the entire school. embellishing it shamelessly – like he was sure to do – with outrageous lies to help gain himself empathy. and that'd be it. that'd be the end of Sirius' wizardschooling as he knew it. no graduating. no celebrating. he'd have to return to Grimmauld Place and wait out the rest of the year. a year that could possibly end with his friends not even wanting to be his friends anymore. and that was the worst thought of all.

he ran a irritated hand through his scruffy brown hair. looking up to face the lightyellow wallpaper that had little ducks roaming lazy circles in it. odds were. if you looked at the wall from far off. you'd get dizzy. but seeing as how the width of the room was only as long as the clawfooted bathtub. one could only focus on a certain section of ducks at one time. Lily had insisted the boys put it up last year to try and make the place look more habitable. but it had already begun peeling off the shabby walls.

there came a heartsinking call from downstairs. "Sirius!"

and Black sighed heavily. rising. he lifted the toiletlid to dispose of his halfgone cigarette and flushed it. then tipped his head back and drowned himself in what was left of the butterbeer. which. much to his dislike. wasn't enough to put his heart afloat again. so he set the empty bottle in the sink with some contempt as he left.

* * *

at the bottom of the stairs. he found the wrapped lump of Snape's body throwing all of Lily's christmas decorations into sharp relief. one wouldn't have guessed offhand that it was Snape. given that he was buried up to his chin in blankets. if it hadn't been for that signaturely crooked nose. his eyes had been wrapped in a thick sheet of gauze. his legs looked to be propped up on pillows from under the blankets. and one sickly left hand hung limply off the side of the couch. touching the floor. his fingernails were long. and dirty. like he'd spent his life digging around in the dirt. his hair'd been pulled out of his face and was strapped into a loose ponytail in the back. revealing his sharp cheekbones. chin. and plateaued forehead.

his black robes hung on a hook beside the fireplace. where Lupin had graciously started a large fire. it crackled and spit happily as Black stood stalkstill on the last step of the stairs. refusing to come any closer. "what?" he asked innocently. though his hands were clenched tightly into worried fists.

Lupin looked up from his seat next to Snape. where he'd been staring at the boy. his chin in his palm inquisitorially. his lightbrown eyes met Black's dark ones and turned weighty. it took a moment for the smell of Sirius' cigarette to hit him. but he ignored it. "what curse were you using?"

Black's throat tightened up. his lips remaining still. even his nostrils stopped moving. the air all clamped up in his chest. he rubbed the sweat from one of his palms down the side of his jeans slowly. and didn't answer till he was quite sure he would faint from lack of oxygen. "…cruor ebullio." he breathed out quickly. looking away from Lupin's eyes. only to have them fall upon Snape. which made it all the worse.

Lupin's eyebrows lowered as he held his gaze. "what's it from?"

Black cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair uncomfortably. he gave Lupin's piercing eyes the shallow relic of a simper and said "bathroom."

"what?" his question to Black's statement wasn't because he didn't hear him. it was because he _had_ heard him.

"bathroom." Sirius repeated. then became rather hostile as he remet Lupin's eyes. "look. i wasn't planning on anyone getting in front of it. that's why I was messin' about with it in the woods."

"what bathroom?" Lupin continued. unfazed.

"the one in the Gryffindor commonroom alright?"

"where in the Gryffindor bathroom?" he repeated more specifically.

Black let out another heavy sigh and tugged at the back of his hair till it stung. "it was on the wall."

Lupin's mouth came open to say something. but nothing came out. instead he took a tiny breath and rose from the chair. disappearing silently into the kitchen. Leaving Black standing there stupidly. blinking.

after a moment or two. Sirius swallowed up enough courage to follow. and found Lupin putting a rusty pot on the stovetop. intent on making himself tea.

Black took a seat as far from Lupin as he could find. spreading his legs around a backwards chair and wrapping his arms around its rear. watching.

Lupin worked methodically. taking time to physically light the fire beneath the stove. instead of using magic. he physically brought the teapot over to the sink and filled it with water. and mindlessly pulled down two teacups – a green one and a black one – from the cupboard. he set them on the counter and then stood facing the teapot. although lost in intense thought. his face remained blank.

Sirius waited somewhat impatiently for the reprimand.

but instead. in even tones. Lupin said. "we can't let anyone know about this."

it took Black a moment to register it. and he flashed a confused face to his friend. then agreed knowingly "…yeah."

Lupin turned from the teapot. but didn't look at him. he was chewing on his knuckle. and sat down across the table from Black without looking up from the floor. "and we can't take him to St. Mungos."

"no." Black said softly.

"i've done what I could for him. i'll fix up his legs when he wakes up. but right now i think we ought to keep him as comfortable as possible…" he was talking pretty much to himself. but Black was nodding at him. glad he was on his side.

and Lupin finally looked up at him. "d'you think he saw you?"

Black sat back a bit. "no." he said finally. "he;d had to have heard me though. maybe he was trying to give me the jump. d'you suppose?"

Lupin sighed without answering and put his hand in his vestpocket. pulling out his wand and flicking it at the teapot. which immediately shrilled. having lost patience on waiting for the water to boil. he poured them both a cup and resumed his seat. looking down into his mug now.

"what did it do to him?" Black asked after a moment. "the curse i mean?"

Lupin looked up at him. "it's got something to do with blood…" he said.

"ah." Sirius mumbled to himself. "that's why it wasn't working on the trees…"

though embarrassed now in the presence of Lupin to say it. Black remembered back to when he had gotten the curse from the backwall of the Gryffindor bathroom. it'd been two weeks before christmas break was to start and he and James had decided to have a pre-vacation party. Pettigrew had agreed sycophantically. but Lupin had declined outright. saying that he had other more important things to do. while Lily respectfully declined as well. instead opting – like Lupin – to study up for her last remaining tests.

so Sirius, James, and Peter bribed three cases of butterbeer off of Hagrid and threw a small party up in their room. Peter – despite his appearance – was a horrible lightweight and was sleeping before James and Sirius had even cracked their third butterbeer. but on about the seventh or eighth James admitted his defeat and curled up in a chair near the fire above where Peter was snuffling in a ball on the floor. but Sirius – a veteraned drinker – took another beer. kissed James drunkenly on the cheek goodnight and went downstairs to take a piss.

while he was standing in the stall. swaying back and forth. one of his knees had tried to collapse on him. and he'd had to catch himself against the wall. laughing at himself. "I'm so ploody bissed." he'd said and then laughed some more.

but his hot breath against the wall had revealed something hidden. some black writing. and it had taken him a minute to notice it before the words started to disappear again back into the normal white wall.

"hey!" he'd called to the words drunkenly. his head swiveling about loosely on his neck. he'd meant to take a step forward. but had stumbled. and ended up with his cheek pressed against the wall. "come back!" he'd slurred at the wall.

and though not beckoned by the call. the words did come back for a moment. emerging as clear as if they'd been written on parchment. a clean black scribble against the white.

having realized what was causing it. he'd opened his mouth widely and dumbly. letting out a huge warm breath. which finally revealed the entire line: "ALAS! YOU'VE FOUND ME! WHO ARE YOU?"

"i'm Sirius Black." He'd said outloud to it. frantically blowing out air to try and keep it up on the wall. in case it answered back. but it hadn't. and it had taken him longer than it should have to notice that it wouldn't.

"bloody…" he began. as he fumbled to zip his pants back up. and his downward pointing face releasing a heavy breath had revealed more writing. this bottom line having read "WRITE HERE AND WE WILL TALK."

Black had patted himself down quickly and drunkenly. drawing a breath as he rummaged through a pocket and got stabbed by his quill tip. uninhibited by the thought that he was now committing vandalism. he had scrawled on the wall "i'm Padfoot." rather sloppily. deciding that using his nickname was a better idea. though his writing had made the word look like "Palfoo." instead. but he hadn't been able to get a good look at it because the moment his quill left a letter it disappeared into the wall. the vanishing spell having soaked it up. Black'd also managed to write "who are you?" before an intense exhaustion had washed over him and his writing'd drawled out into a line. completely unreadable.

he'd slumped down tiredly and fell asleep there in the bathroom stall that night. until the hungover James had found him the next morning and goaded him up for breakfast.

remembering what he'd seen the night before by lunchtime. Black made a stop by the bathroom and had closed himself in the same stall. this time breathing onto the wall with more grace. and to his happiness. more words had appeared. "PALFOO? NICKNAMES IT IS THEN. I'M LONGBONES."

and for the remaining two weeks of school. Black had written back and forth to the supposed 'Longbones'. never actually figuring out who it was. even though he tried many times by waiting in the Gryffindor commonroom to see who went in. but each time the person left and he checked. more notes had not been there. but after a day he'd stop becoming interested in who it was and had focused more on what they were writing about. they'd rated girls on attractiveness. the teachers and their abilities. argued about the outcome of the Quidditch World Cup last summer. and eventually got to leaving each other helpful notes for certain classes. Black had done his best to remember the good curses he'd helped James come up with in Defense Against the Dark Arts. and in return Longbones had given him back his own madeup curses. hexes. charms. and spells.

the last thing Longbones had written before school was to be let out the next morning for the holidays was "TRY MY CRUOR EBULLIO CURSE. HAPPY CHRISTMAS!" and that was the end of their communications.

undeterred by not having known what the curse meant. Sirius had written it on his arm and left the lavatory. looking forward to spending time away from books and homework. not knowing it would turn out like this.

"i suppose we could look it up somewhere." Lupin was saying. already pouring himself another cup of tea.

"where?" Sirius asked.

Lupin rose and went out into the sittingroom. coming back carrying Snape's bag and setting it on the table. "I don't think he'll mind us borrowing his books for the moment…" he said. then he went looking through it. pulling out wet parchment with runny ink, matted quills, and finally a stack of damp books. Lupin read them off as he pulled them out. "The Standard Book of Spells Grade 6. A Compendium of Common Curses and their Counter-Actions. Olde and Forgotten Bewitchments and Charms. Magic Moste Evile. Curses and Counter-Curses. Most Pontente Potions. and" he pulled out the last of the sweaty texts "Advanced Potion Making."

"bit of clean and healthy reading over the holidays I gather…" Sirius mused callously. he fought hard at the temptation to blurt out that the spell wouldn't be in one of those books. no matter how much Lupin looked. because it was made up. but he knew that that would only lead to questions he wasn't willing to answer. so he settled the dispute with his raging conscience with the thought that Lupin liked reading and would enjoy the hunt for the elusive curse. even if he couldn't find it.

"what was it again?" Lupin asked. beginning to flip through 'Olde and Forgotten Bewitchments and Charms.' while the teapot floated over his head and poured him a fresh cup of tea.

"cruor ebullio." Sirius said. noticing he had not once touched his own tea. which had gone cold and managed a dreggy bottom. he folded his hands on the top of the chair and rested his head. watching Lupin flip through the pages of Snape's library books. he watched silently as Lupin's brown eyes zoomed from right to left over the pages. sometime his eyebrows raised as he read through a curse he liked. sometimes it brought about a frown.

after he'd managed to get through the entire first book and topped it onto the 'useless' pile where the potion books were stacked. Sirius had lost interest. he'd become fidgety in his chair. running the pad of his finger along a crack in the woodtable until he got a sliver. then he took his time picking at it. then at his cuticles. then playing with air in his mouth. then ruffling his hair. and by the bitter end of his patience. made faces at Lupin. to which – much to his dislike - his friend gave no apparent notice. seemingly riveted by 'A Compendium of Common Curses and their Counter-Actions'.

there came a small breathy groan from the sittingroom. and finally Lupin raised his head to look in Snape's direction. but nothing else happened. so he turned back to the book.

Sirius stared a little longer at Snape. noticing that from this top angle. Snape's sallow nose made him look like a white sailboat sinking into a black sea that was his greasy hair. turning back to the table. he pulled the cigarette pack from his pocket and pulled one out. producing his wand and muttering "incendio" which made the tip of the cigarette suddenly burst red. he took a large drag and reached out across the table. grabbing onto some of Snape's homework parchment. interested in what Snape had done already. and what answers Sirius could possibly glean from him.

"I wish you wouldn't smoke around me." Lupin said as he flipped another page. not looking up.

Sirius made an effort to blow his next drag in Lupin's direction before he sat back. rifling through the papers. a couple soggy pieces broke in his hands. but he found all of them to be blank.

"git!" he said angrily.

"he's smart." Lupin said. having figured that Severus would be one to put a vanishing curse on his work for just this reason.

"he's slimy is what he is." Sirius grunted. throwing the parchments back onto the table in a huff.

Lupin just grinned and flipped another page.

there was another small groan from the sittingroom. but this time neither boys looked up.

after a while. Sirius began to get edgy again. and after some fidgeting. stood. "that tears it." he announced. "I'm going to bed."

"g'night." Lupin said easily.

not seeing the scowl that came over Sirius' face as he went out through the sittingroom and heavily up the stairs. leaving a trail of lingering smoke behind him.


	3. Chapter 3

Sirius awoke late the next morning. taking his time to get out of bed. definitely not that pressed to find that the nightmare from last night had been real. he lay looking at the ceiling for a long while not moving. until a hungry rumbling in his stomach beckoned him up. he reached out for a cigarette and pulled his wand from under his pillow. lit it. and slowly sat up. his spine cracking menacingly and his neck feeling as though it were full of Quidditch snitches.

he stood and stretched loudly. shoving his feet into a pair of checkered slipon shoes that'd been thrown by his bedside and trudged down to the bottom floor. dressed only in a pair of white boxers that had a large orange and red phoenix on one of the legs.

he pushed a haphazard hand through his hair to pull it out of his face as he reached the bottomstep. yawning as he saw Snape's form looking more sallow and sweaty than it had last night. there was a wet towel across his gray forehead and he was shivering slightly. despite the piles of blankets that were tucked around them. he noticed the edge of one that hung on the ground.

"did you take my blanket last night?" he asked. remembering now that he'd woken up in the middle of the night to find his own self shivering at the loss of something warm.

"had to." Lupin emerged from the kitchen. dressed in a faded green bathrobe. his auburn hair was darker as it was wet. having just taken a shower. he was chewing on a piece of toast. his hand bent out in front of him like a stand. holding 'Magic Moste Evile' to read as he walked about. his enchanted teacup floating around behind him like it was attached to an invisible rod at his shoulder. "he woke up about three hours ago. so I set his legs and gave him a calming draught. he should be out for a while longer." he took a seat in the chair next to Snape and resumed looking through the book. crunching at the toast as his teacup drifting down to the floor beside him. unspilled.

there was new fire already roaring.

Black stood there groggily. blinking slowly. and smashed out his cigarette butt on the stair banister before rubbing his eye with his knuckle and heading towards the kitchen. on his passing. Lupin lifted a hand and flicked it in midair. the cigarettebutt flew from the top of the banister and disappeared into the fire to be disposed of.

after a lot of clatter of pots and cracking eggs and sizzling meat. Sirius sat down at the table to eat his breakfast. about to take his first bite when there was a sudden tapping sound behind him. he turned to see a small brown owl staring at him imploringly from between a crack in the boards covering the window.

he sighed and pried a loose board away. letting the owl in. the Daily Prophet was rolled up in its beak. and it obliged itself to land in front of his plate. Sirius took the paper and scraped the one knut from its ready position on the table. dropping it into the pouch tied to its leg. the owl hooted softly then seemed to bow low and quick to him. before flying out the window between the planks of musty wood.

it took him a moment to realize what had happened. "OY!" he called after the bird.

"what's the matter?" Lupin called from the sittingroom.

Sirius slammed the board back up in its place angrily. "bloody featherball took one of my sausages." and as he sat back down he thought he heard Lupin sniggering.

after finishing off his breakfast and closing the Prophet – which turned out to be a very uneventful read – Sirius had another cigarette. finished it slowly. then rose from his place. putting his dirtied plate and fork in the sink. before heading out into the sittingroom. bored. he had no want to go to Hogsmeade. especially in the foot of snow that had managed to fall that night.

"what do you think James' doing right now?" Sirius mused. taking a seat on the bottom step of the stairs. seeing as how all the couch and chair were taken.

"probably having fun." Lupin said.

"probably snogging Lily…" Black said miserably.

Lupin seemed to ignore him. turning the last page in the book with a sigh. he closed it. "that's it." he stated to the room. I can't find that cruor ebullio anywhere. The closest I came was the Cruor Lucus spell. which thickens the blood. but I already knew that one." he set the book down disappointedly and looked at Sirius. who'd pulled his last cigarette from the pack and was smoking it calmly. staring at Snape.

"this isn't going to be a very nice christmas with him here." Sirius said dejectedly. not seeing as Lupin shook his head in agreement.

"no. but we'll just have to deal with it. it's only three weeks."

"then what?" Black asked.

"what do you mean?"

"Snape's bound to wake up sometime and find out where he is and what happened to him. what do we do then when we have to go back to Hogwarts? he's going to tell everyone about it. i'll get expelled for sure…" his face fell into gloom as he said this last sentence. realizing the end of his education was drawing nearer with each day.

"you won't get expelled." Lupin shrugged off his disposition casually. "we'll do a Memory Charm on him or something before we have to go back. it'll be alright."

Sirius perked up a bit. finishing of his last cigarette and flicking it across the sittingroom into the belly of the fire. throwing its crumpled empty packet after it.

"but first things first." Lupin got up from the chair and pushed past Sirius to head upstairs. when he returned he burped into the back of his hand and excused himself. having just taken his Wolfsbane Potion. seeing that Sirius had taken his empty seat. but moved it farther away from the lightly snoring Snape.

"didn't that just bloody happen already?" Black asked. "seems like you had your furry little problem yesterday."

"it's actually tonight." Lupin said rather sadly. although quite use to turning into a werewolf by now. he had never become accustom to the pain of the transformation.

"tonight?" he said it as if the word had stung him.

"that means you'll have to watch Snape." Lupin said. his tone becoming serious. "I'll give him some more sleeping potion before dusk and that should keep him from waking up. but even if he does. I don't want you doing _anything_ to him. got it? I don't care what he does. don't touch him."

"right." Sirius held up his hands in what was meant to be a defensive gesture. but instead Lupin was flashed with two middle fingers. "leave Snivelly alone. got it."

"I mean it Sirius." Lupin leveled him with his eyes. ignoring the handgestures. "don't touch a hair on his head. or I'll hex you so bad you won't be able to sit down for a month."

"I wouldn't touch his greasy hair for all the galleons in Gringotts. probably get some disease..." Black muttered.

"good." Lupin said decisively. and went swiftly into the kitchen.

the rest of the day went on slowly and boringly. Lupin busied himself by making an assortment of potions that might come in handy that night while Sirius took a long nap. Lupin occasionally coming out of the kitchen to resoak the wet rag laid across Snape's forehead. or remove a blanket or two from his body. keeping him as comfortable as possible.

that was until night began to rear its ugly dark face at them.


	4. Chapter 4

by the time dusk had come. they were scrambling to get everything in order. Lupin was doublechecking that everything possible was at ready for Snape. and that Sirius understood that he was not allowed to cast any spells on him. no matter what. only give him the premade potions.

then. somewhat hesitant to leave Snape in Sirius' care. he'd headed upstairs to the master bedroom to spend the rest of the night transfiguring into and out of a werewolf.

a halfhour later Sirius was wincing at thescreams that were coming through the dusty ceiling. he'd heard Lupin's monthly transformations for six years now. but it still upset him to hear Remus suffering the extreme pain.

Black was sitting in the chair downstairs. having turned it to face the fire and occasionally jumped when he heard the crashing and thrashing of a body upstairs. wishing with a fight that he could turn into his animagous black dog form and help his friend out. but Lupin had strictly forbid him. saying that Snape was more important right now.

"Snivelly." Black scoffed towards the fire. "the most important he'll ever be to me is at the receiving end of an Unforgivable Curse…"

there was an ominous crack from upstairs. and Sirius looked to the ceiling just in time to catch some dust in his eye. "ah!" he rubbed at the pain menacingly.

then he heard a soft unbidden cough from behind him. and though not turning. pricked up his ears to listen more closely. he heard a soft shuffling. a clamped groan. and then more shuffling.

and when he turned. craning his neck around the back of the chair. he saw Snape standing hunched over beside the couch. he was clutching at his stomach with one skinny arm. and without the heaps of blankets piled on top of him. looked portentously small. his pale skin seemed rather like he'd been painted. as there were numerous unprovoked bruises blossoming down his neck and thinning out across his chest. if one squinted. it may have looked as though Snape were wearing an overly embellished purple collarpiece.

the new dressing around his eyes put into relief the oldcheese colour of his skin. tiny black stubble appearing just on the bottom of his chin. and the hair that Lupin had pulled back into a loose ponytail was falling out in shiny streaks beside his sharp face.

his smoothflesh was stretched taut over his highlynoticeable bones. he was so skinny that his plum-blotched chest was concave. and his pasty sticklegs seemed feeble as they bent out of his grubbygray boxershorts. his feet were wrapped in black socks and looked so large it was as though he'd never grow into his own toes.

he held an equally large gangly hand out in front of him as he stumbled feebly about. trying to figure out where he was. with everystep he seemed unsuccessful to hide a grimace.

he hadn't heard Black get up to face him over the screams and crashes from upstairs. or hear him mutter "bloody good sleeping potion Lupin…" but Snape had definitely heard him say in a cool even tone "easy there Severus."

Snape's head swiveled frantically about as he tried to find the person that'd just talked to him. he looked on the verge of collapsing at any moment. though he took another step forward and wheeled about with his arm outstretched. feeling the air.

"who are you?" he hissed. taking a fumbling step to the right and nearly tripping on the blankets. "what's going on?"

"just sit down." Black stepped in a bit closer. his hands out in front of him should Snape either fallforward or lunge at him. he was ready for both.

"where's my wand?" his words were vicious and sleek like they'd always been. "who are you! why can't I see?"

Black – becoming annoyed at the questions – put his hands on Snape's bony shoulders. pushing him down onto the couch. "don't touch me!" Severus tore his shoulders from his hands but remained seated. great swelling throbs trumpeting though his head and down into the top of his chest.

"look." Black said reproachfully. "you're not gettin' your wand back. and you're not gonna know who I am. so just shutup."

but Snape didn't. "who's screaming? where am I? what's happened?" he was bent low now though. with his head between his knees. gasping. the throbbing had turned into one giant press of weight against his skull and he looked like he was ready to be sick all over the floor.

"you're here." he said vaguely. crossing his arms over his chest. skipping Snape's first and last question. "now lie down and go back to sleep before i knock you out."

a calm hateful look filled Snape's face as he brought his head back up in the general direction of Black. he'd finally recognized the voice. Snape's words were menacingly cold as he said "…Sirius…" in realization.

Black said nothing.

"what happened?" he hissed venomously.

"I don't know." Black lied. "we found you in the forest so we brought you here…"

"we?" Snape said coolly. swiveling his pointed head about the room again. as if he meant to catch the other person's scent. Black could've kicked himself for having said that. but then surrendered. "yeah. that's right. me and Lupin."

"ah." Severus said in an unnervingly sly voice. "he would be the one screaming just now. wouldn't he?"

again. Black said nothing, and Snape took that to mean that he was correct in his assumption. an evil thin smile revealed the slightlycrooked yellow teeth in his skull. if he hadn't of made a promise to Lupin. Black would've cracked Snape in the jaw. there was nothing he hated more than Severus' smile.

"it's a full moon tonight. isn't it?" he said in a tone that was meant feebly to be offhand. "i've always had the inkling that Remus had a little monthly problem…" the arrogant vindication dripped off his words as he spoke.

"shutup Snape." was all Black could manage. pulling his wand from his backpocket and fighting hard not to flick it at the pale. sickly. blackahaired boy. and send him flying through the wall.

the cries and crashes ceased slowly upstairs. and they heard a murmured whimpering before that too died away. silence filled the small. ramshackle house for a long heavy moment.

"what were you doing in the woods anyway?" Sirius asked.

"what business is it of yours?" Snape hissed.

"that's it." Black's pathetically short patience had just failed him. he walked over the fire and pulled up Snape's clothes from the hook beside it. throwing them at the boy. he started as they landed with a heavy thwump in his lap. but sat still. "why don't you just leave? say I couldn't stop you."

"fine." Snape said vehemently. rummaging through the mess of clothes to find his pants by feel. once he was sure he found them. and standing gingerly with a slight sway he pulled them on. then his shirt when he found it. his socks and shoes. and finally his heavy black overcloak. he buttoned it up around his purple-blotched neck satisfactorily. his mended legs shot spasms of pain up the base of his spine but he ignored them.

"my bag." he said coldly. standing with his hand out.

Black stomped into the kitchen and shoved the loose papers into the bag. followed by the books Remus had left on the tabletop – which was not all of them. and they smashed his homework at the bottom with a crumple. then returned to the livingroom and pushed it hard into Snape's stomach.

he staggard and fell back into the couch. but immediately pushed himself up again. slinging the bag over his shoulder (which almost knocked him offbalance again) and breathed. "the door."

"to your right." was all Black said. spinning the chair around in front of the fire again with a flip of his hand and taking a heavy seat in it. not watching him go.

Snape did his best not to stumble as he turned and walked gingerly to the right. a hand held out in front of him until he reached the wall. then he felt around for the nob and pulled the door open. inviting a slide of the fourfoot snow to come toppling into the livingroom.

with a hesitant crunch and a falling step. he stepped out across the threshold of the house and began his journey out across the snowy frontlawn. leaving the door open. intent on making it at least to Hogsmeade. guessing to its general direction from here.

when suddenly something firm collided with the back of his head and he fell over. facefirst into the bittercold snow. the bandaging around his eyes became wet at once. stinging his crusted lids.

there was the vicious laugh from behind him as he rose up. shaking the remnants of the enchanted snowball from his hair. "I hope you run into a tree Snivellus!"Sirius was yelling from the frontdoor. "nobody's going to miss you when you die…" and with that. another large snowball hit him in the shoulder. knocking him sideways. his bag dropping from his shoulder. though he forced himself to remain standing through sheer will. and he heard the door slam behind him. he cursed menacingly beneath his breath and pulled feebly at his bookbag. which only came up midarm ashe tromped on. shivering with each step. the icy numbness of the night crawled quickly up his appendages. masking the feel of his bookbag sliding slowly off his arm.

"fucking prat." Sirius cursed as he forced the door back closed. leaving some snow on the rug dismissively as he went back to the fire which was dying a bit.

he looked about. seeing no wood. but isntead havinghis eyes fall upon Snape's 'Magic Moste Evile' book sitting on the floor where Remus had put it. he hastilygrabbed it up andchucked it gleefully into the fire. it landed with an explosion of ash and took a longmoment before the pages started to turn brown and curl in the conflagration.

then decisively.Sirius pulled _his_ blanket from the pile on the couch and wrapped it around him. claiming ownership once more as he sat down in the chair. watching with a dark happiness as Snape's book crackled away to ash. page by page.

he was partwaythrough enjoying watching Severus' beloved property being destroyed. when there was a knock at the door.

"go away Snivelly!" Black yelled. not quite certain that it was Snape. but dismissive all the same.

the knock came again.

"bloody…" he began. rising from the chair and stomping towards the door. he flung it open.

Lily Evans was looking up at him.

strands of her elbowlength auburn hair had come untucked from her thick Gryffindor scarf that was coiled numerous times about the shoulders of her long brown shouldercape. a plaid darkred skirt hung down to midshin. and from there on were darkgray leggings and a pair of ordinary brown boots.

"sorry to be stopping by so late." she confessed.

"it's no problem." Sirius said. though still a bit surprised.

shesmiled broadlyand pounced at him. wrapping her arms around his shoulders. having to stand on her tiptoes to get a proper grip on his tall frame. "happy christmas!" she said elatedly into his hair.

"…h-happy christmas…" he stuttered back.

when she pulled back from him. she found him staring out over her shoulder into the darkness.

"everything alright?" she asked. looking over her own shoulder. but only seeing the empty dark yard.

"yeah." he finally came to himself and shook his head. "yeah everything's fine."

"oh here." and from beside her foot she produced a dark messengerbag. "is this yours?" she asked. holding it up. "it was in the yard when I apparated."

Black faltered for a moment. realizing that it was Snape's. "uh. yeah. thanks." and he took the bag from her. setting it by the side of the door inside. "must've dropped it." he mumbled.

"everything in it's probably pretty wet." she said. looking apologetic.

"it's alright." Black dismissed easily.

"and here's your present." she said. leaning down for the package that was at the side of her foot. it was a box about the size of a bludger. wrapped loosely in gauzy red and gold paper. there was an envelope fastened to the top. glittering silver letters shimmered TO SIRIUS AND LUPIN. and she handed it to him. "thought i'd drop this off. I know it's a bit odd to be giving you a present so late. but Mum took us out and we only _just_ got done shopping. it's really cutthroat out there in those Muggle stores this time of the year… " she laughed.

"did you want to come inside?" Sirius asked. trying to fight the goosepimples that were erupting all down his arms and legs as he took the box.

"nah." she said sweetly. "i can't. I've got to be getting back soon. James'll be wondering where I am. is Lupin in?"

"he's a bit um…preoccupied." Black said awkwardly. and as though it had been timed. a wallshaking howl went bellowing through the house.

"ah." Lily said at once. knowing fullwell Lupin's current preoccupation. "well. I better go then. tell Lupin I stopped by if you would." she smiled. "and don't shake the box." she giggled. "but you can open it now. well. when you get back inside…yeah. I think that's it."

"alright." she announced after a silent moment of amiable smiling between them. "I'm off."

"thanks for the present." Sirius said. holding it up in the air as if she'd forgotten it. something slid inside of it and became heavy near his hand. "and the bag."

"of course." she said simply. but reached out and straightened the box.

"James has yours from us…" Black said. being careful to hold the present as horizontally as he could now.

"right. I think he's hiding it from me. afraid I'll open it or something." she said with a smirk. "have a good night Sirius. and a happy christmas!"

"you too Lily." Black said. and he watched her turn and walk down the snowy path a bit. before she stopped and disapparated with a pop.

feeling a shiver coming on from the cold. Black turned back inside and shut the door. walking over to the couch and sitting. contrary to what she had told him. he shook the box. something slid wildly inside of it and emitted a squeaky sound.

his eyebrows furrowed. he pulled off the envelope and opened it with a slide of his finger. producing a small card of parchment that in bright red ink read:

_Hope you like this. I thought it'd be perfect for keeping you company. James thought that you wouldn't like it, but he doesn't know what he's talking about._

_with love,_

_Lily (and James)_

_P.S. I bet him a new broomstick if you didn't like it. So you'd better or I'll hex you._

Sirius ripped at the paper. revealing a box and then upon opening that. a confused look dashed his slight smile. he blinked a couple of times to be certain that he was seeing what he thought. then reached down and scooped it out of the box.

he held up a tiny fourlegged bundle of black fur. and it swayed a moment before toppling over. barely larger than his palm. with its tail twitching. it mewed feebly at him. pawed itself back up to its feet. and flashed him a large pair of yellow eyes.

in his open hand. Black held a kitten.


	5. Chapter 5

he lowered the kitten to the ground gently. it took a tumble off his hand and sat there a moment. dazed as to what just happened. before it stood again on shaky legs and took somemore drunken steps away from him. before circling back and crashing into his ankle.

a smile split his face as the kitten mewed pathetically again and he picked it up. bringing it up close to his face to get a good look at it as he leaned back into the couch. one hand able to fit snugly around its belly. it reached out and pawed clawlessly at his chin. swiveling its tiny black head about the room. taking in its new surroundings.

"hello there." Sirius grunted to the kitten. putting it onto his lap. and the kitten immediately tromped off onto the blankets that were piled on the side of the couch. finding a manky blueone that was downfilled and coming apart at a couple places along the seams. little white feathers leaked out of it. and the kitten began batting at one. throwing it about.

chuckling. Sirius found his wand and gave it an easy swish and flick. the feather rose immediately into the air and hovered. held just out of reach of the little kitten as it scurried to follow. trying to bat it back down. he lead the kitten back and forth over the couch. chuckling as the little black ball of fur traipsed and fell about.

a couple of times Black had to snatch out and grab the kitten before it toppled off the couchside.

then there was a clatter from upstairs and the sound of something heavy breaking. the kitten stopped midstep and its little ears swiveled about. its tiny head pointed at the ceiling as it mewed softly.

"Oi!" Sirius called jestingly. he put a knuckle beneath the kitten's chin and it immediately latched on with its tiny white teeth. wrestling him. "keep it down Moony!" he said to the ceiling.

there was a soft huff as if in answer from upstairs and the fourfooted galloping of Lupin around the room.smiling to himself.

then Sirius' eyes fell to Snape's bag and his face slackened.

what _would_ Lupin think when he came down and found Snape missing? Sirius was rather certain that his own feelings about Snape's leaving – no matter how he explained them to Lupin – would not be suffice enough for him to have let Severus leave. it didn't matter what he could tell Remus. when it all got boiled down. it was the fact that Severus had left on his own accord. and in barely better condition than when he'd been brought in. the only consolance to that being that he was able to stand for a bit.

Blackcould just imagine the rage Lupin would get into. which – needless to say – would not be a healthy move considering it would be in the fortnight of being a werewolf. and what if Snape died? sure. Sirius wouldn't mind so much. but Hogwarts. especially Dumbledore. somehow they'd link it back to him. Sirius.and he'd be expelled. or possibly even sent to Azkaban for murder. and that possibility was more than he could stomach.

Black sighed heavily. plucking the kitten up and setting it in his spot as he rose. having to wrestle his finger free for a moment.

then he pulled himself upstairs. hearing a heavy snuffling at the door as he came to it.

"hey Moony." Sirius said as he approached. "I'm gonna step out for a sec. I'll be right back though. Snivellus' still sleeping like a good little prat." he rather thought he'd been pretty convincing as he said this. "I'm gonna come in now."

he pushed the door open slowly. hearing claws backing away from the door. and when he squeezed himself in. he found the great gray werewolf standing up on its hind legs. at least four feet taller than Sirius.

his massive front paws were curled towards his scarred chest comfortably. and he cocked his head dolefully and came forward. sniffing at Sirius' hand avidly. Black smiled and patted him on the head.

"Lily came by and dropped off our present." he said as he walked about the room. gathering warm clothes as he went. he stepped lightly over a broken vase without a fleeting glance. "it's a kitten."

Lupin stopped following him and cocked his head. looking confused.

"yeah. I know." Sirius said as if he'd read his mind. "he's a little thing. no bigger than my hand. you can see him in the morning. otherwise I think you might scare him like this."

Lupin gave a snort in agreement. little flecks ofsnot dropping onto the dusty floor.

"oh and uh. Lily says happy christmas by the way."

Lupin barked softly and followed it with a grumble.

"you can tell her when we see her again." Sirius said with a chuckle. pulling on his hoodie and then his peacoat from a large peeling wardrobe.

Lupin nuzzled into his side with his snout.

"I'm going to Hogsmeade." Sirius lied. "I need more cigarettes." he pulled open the top drawer of the dresserbeside the wardrobeand put his hand on the Marauder's Map that was sitting there.

Lupin gave a resentful growl and made a circle about the room. stamping hard on the ground with all four paws.

"yeah. yeah." Sirius dismissed him. hoping Lupin wasn't paying too close attention as he rifled through the drawer. disguising the mapcarefully with his wide Hogwart's scarf before pulling them both out. letting his arm drop casually to his side.the map properly conceled andhe headed straight for the door. "see you in a bit." he said as he closed it behind him.

thenexpelling a sigh.went down the stairs. and after giving the kitten a reassuring pet. stomped out into the snow.

"lumos." he muttered as he left the golden glow of the house. and a three foot circle of light immediately surrounded him. cast by his wandtip. he followed Lily's shoeprints out into the middle of the yard before they disappeared. then held his wand out in front of him. and flung his scarf over his shoulder uselessly. intent instead on the paper beneath. he put his wand to it "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good." he said in a hushed whisper. and as if brown ink were being spilled on it. the map revealed its introduction and name he'd had a hand in thinking up and writing.

not pausing a moment. put his wand between his teeth and worked to pull back its righthanded folds. pulling the last rightsideleaf back. he revealed a small rather welldone drawing of twisted tree that Lupin had illustrated. in unmoving letters beneath itit said WOMPING WILLOW. a little distance away from it was another drawing of a crooked house that read SHRIEKING SHACK. a flapping banner read REMUS LUPIN over the top of the house. and he found the fluttering banner with SIRIUS BLACK rather easily outside its front door. he looked about that area and was quick to spot another wobbly banner reading SEVERUS SNAPE seemingly only a halfinch away from him.

he looked up rather expectantly to find Snape standing in front of him. but saw only darkness. then slowly. he made his way in the direction of where the trembling banner was on the map. litte black shoeprints appeared under his banner. going very slowly in the direction of Snape's. but the walk soon became aggrivating. Sirius having to step. sink. then pull his foot up high. before he could step out with the other foot. and sink again.

_this is never going to work. by the time I get there he's going to be a bloody icecube_. he told himself. andpulling his wand from his teeth and giving ita definitive flick. he stated "lumos maxima!". and a brilliant light replaced the now seemingly dull one from before. a vivid contrast of snow and wood burned painfully into his eyes until his pupils adjusted and he saw the dark trees before him. andamusty blackmound appeared slightly off to his right. looking alien in the landscape. and realizing what it was. he stomped towards it hurriedly. and found Snape lying facedown in the snow.

Sirius hastily pocketed the map andputting hiswand back between his teeth.turnedSnape over with a grunt. his wet clothes making him heavy. and with his wandlight almost as bright as day would have been. found that his sallow skin had turned gray. his lips blue. and the bandaging around his eyes gone. the crusting about his lids was blackened and wet. giving him a remarkebly grotesque look. though Sirius scoffed silently that it didn't make much difference.

Severus felt like ice in his hands. his arms and legs falling limp as Sirius hoisted his spiny frame up into his arms with a groan. Snape's head lolled freely. his icecrusted hair flapping stiffly against his slack face.

"c'mon ya bloody Snapecicle." Black breathed in great puffs. turning back to the Shrieking Shack. "you're not dead yet." and as he tromped back through his path in the snow. he prayed seriously that he wasn't.


	6. Chapter 6

despite being rather athletic. the trudge back to the Shack with the snowheavy Snape had left Sirius panting as he walked back over the threshold. having turned his wand off upon entering the front yard and using nothing but the glow coming from inside to light his path.

with his snowy boot he kicked away the blankets from the couch and laid the limp Severus down on it. removing Snape's shoes and icy outercloak. throwing them needlessly to the ground as he cast a Featherweight Charm on the couch and while pushing the empty chair out of the way. brought the entire sofa up close to the fire. close enough to possibly risk scorching the fringe that hung from its bottom.

he piled and pushed the strewn blankets around Severus' body. then rifled through the marked potion bottles Lupin had left him. he'd remembered watching as Remus had taken a single clear empty bottle and duplicated it with an Effingo Charm four times. creating the exact bottle four separate times so that he had five bottles to work with. and from his beatenleather softbox. produced five separate stoppered vials from a variety that he'd been keeping all through first term. the majority of vials held Wolfsbane. but a few others he'd made and kept with him for use incase _he_ was ever to need them. having them easily on hand. and he'd seen fit to use them now for Severus.

after having filled the bottles with the necessary potions for Snape. he'd used a Colour-Change Charm to make each one a different color for easier differentiation. and lastly. he labeled them simply by what they did to make it as uncomplicated as possible for Sirius.

the black read SLEEP. the yellow CALM. the blue COOL. the green AWAKEN. and the red WARM.

Black snatched up the red bottle and went back over to Snape. pulling a face as he shoved two fingers against his thin purple neck. feeling for a pulse. and after a moment. he found it. weak. but there.

and pulling an even more grotesqued face. he slipped his hand beneath Snape's greasy wet head. lifted it. unstoppered the red bottle with his teeth. and dumped the contents into Severus' lax mouth.

it took a moment before he felt it working. the icycold weight that was Snape's head warmed. and suddenly he let out a great shuddering gasp as the ice in his lungs melted away instantly.

Black dropped Snape's head and backed away. gagging at the boy's foul breath that'd come in one great whoosh about his face. he stumbled into the kitchen.

his frozen hands took to the cold water as if it were lukewarm. and his face felt the same as he splashed some up onto it. then he threw his wetted hair back with his hands. calming himself.

_he'd almost died_. his mind was telling him. _you were a breath away from Azkaban_.

"I know." he said outloud to himself. "but it's alright now…he's not gonna die." then he added somewhat flippantly "unfortunately." and knew it wasn't exactly an _all_ true statement.

he made his way back out into the livingroom. his eyes falling blearily on his charge. and he sighed remorsefully. regretting having washed his hands. as he saw that the lack of dressing around Snape's eyes needed attending to.

he bent and pulled Lupin's softbox from the floor beside the table. and opened it. pulling the vialrack up and out of the way to extracting a roll of white gauze from the bottom.

he went back and kneeled down by the side of the couch. looking down Snape's crooked nose towards the two knobs beneath the blankets that were his feet. and with a grimace. he took up Snape's head again. lifting it as upright as possible and held it there. pulling apart the end of the gauze from the roll. before holding it beneath one finger at the back of Severus' head and winding it about his eyes. covering the flaky bloodencrusted skin.

he wound the roll about his head until he decided that there was enough. and then let Snape's head drop back down into the couch cushion. ripping the gauze between his fingers and pressing it to stick against the rest of the gauze at his temple.

he was tempted for a moment to use a Permanent Sticking Charm on the bandaging. but the only thing that stopped him from doing such. was the fact that he didn't know how.

he found himself yawning widely a moment later. exhaustion having crept up on him. and he was more than willing to yield to it. once he'd gotten the couch back against the wall (where it would not look so suspicious.) and the chair replaced between it and the fire.Black sat down with a huff. wrapped his blanket around him. and felt a tiny weight pounce into his lap.

without opening his eyes. he felt around and with one fingertip scratched the little kitten on the back of the ear. hearing it immediately purr. its little claws kneading the thick blanket lovingly.

and before he really knew how it had happened. he was asleep.

* * *

Lupin was shivering. crouched low with his arms shoved straight down between his clenched naked thighs. his fingers splayed out to help balance himself. his breath kept breaking into pants and halfcoughs as he tried to get a hold of himself. having just transfigured back into human form. the pain only beginning to subside.

it was only three thirty in the morning. dawn just barely breaking.

his lanky blond hair hung shaggy and wet in his face. coated in sweat. but he was happy that it was over.

the room around him was relatively intact. despite the easily repairable vase on the floor and the extra clawmarks on the side of the bedmattress. nothing was damaged so that it couldn't be mended. he just hoped that everything downstairs would be the same.

he remembered vaguely when Sirius had come into the room. telling him that he was going into Hogsmeade for something. but that memory was getting fuzzier by the moment.

when he felt he could. he began to crawl across the floor. catching himself when he tipped. his muscles screaming at him with pain at having been pulled and stretched twiceover. his jaw felt tight and his fingers numb. as he made his way to the bed. finding a faded orange robe he'd laid out for himself. along with underwear. scarlet Hogwarts' sleeppants. and a pair of blue socks that had a hole in one toe.

using one of the columns of the fourposter bed. he pulled himself upward. covered himself in the robe. and made his way slowly towards the door with his other clothes draped over his arm. intent on a bath.

the breeze out in the hall was colder than the room had been. and he tried to shut his robe more tightly against it. shuffling across the hall to the bathroom and closing himself into it. collapsing in a heap onto the closed toilet.

he reached over when he found the strength and turned on the water. it gave a clunky refusal for a moment before letting out a hard warm stream into the tub basin. and he stoppered it with the plug. intent on enjoying a nice long. hot bath.

he loved taking hot baths after a night of transfiguring. they always seemed increasingly to be the best baths he'd ever taken in his life. and this one was no exception.

after he'd regained feeling in his appendages. and managed to make his fingers pruney. he got out. dried himself thoroughly. and dressed himself into all his warm clothes. only giving his face a fleeting glance in the mirror.

it looked sunken and tired. with dark bags beneath his eyes and a lightblond shadow of a beard crescenting his chin. he made a meager attempt at pressing down a large cowlick that made a clump of hair swoop ominously atop his head. but deemed himself haggard and went out into the hall. using the wall for support whenever necessary and then the stair railing as he made his way down to the livingroom.

he found Severus where he had left him. lying on the couch piled up to his chin in blankets. and saw Sirius sitting limp in a chair. snoring lightly. his long lanky legs were spread out wide beneath him. which would have been rather offensive (he being only dressed in boxer shorts from the waist down.) unless a good section of blanket had still been pinned precariously at his waist by a little bundle of black fur. it reminded Lupin reminiscently of the Puffskein he'd had when he was little.

and he was unable to hide the smile as he thought of how lucky Sirius was to not be subject to a de-boogering by its tongue. were it a real Puffskein instead of a kitten.

he shuffled over to where Snape lay. bending to check on the seemingly fresh bandaging. and put a tentative hand on the boy's forehead. feeling it feverishly hot. decisively he pulled a couple of blankets off him. and lingered through the potion bottles he'd left. they were all there but the red one. and he located it near Sirius' chair. having fallen from his loose hand.

he padded over to pick it up. hearing a soft thunk and faint sighing. then saw the kitten stretching out on the ground. bearing its tiny fangs in a large yawn. it walked sleepily over to him. sniffed at his socked foot for a moment. then rubbed up against it. purring lightly.

Lupin smiled. looking up asthe sloughing sound of the falling blanket reached his ears. seeing Black start awake when he noticed him standing next to him. but realize who it was and slouch back into the chair. rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"well well well…" Sirius said through a great yawn. "it walks." and he pushed himself up. came alongside Lupin. grabbed his elbow and pushed him into the chair. knowing that Remus would be needing it more than he would right now. his head was still fuzzy with sleep. "want anything? breakfast?"

"not with the way you cook." Lupin managed. his smile twinging a bit as he tried to get comfortable.

"yeah." Sirius couldn't argue. he knew he couldn't cook for other people. he cooked things for too long. which suited his appetite just fine. but on serving it to others. the joke of calling his meals Dragon's Delight had come into being among the group. "I can get you some coffee if you want."

Lupin had closed his eyes. "do we have any tea left?"

"i'll check..." Sirius said as he disappeared into the kitchen. it didn't take long before he felt a tiny weight on his lap and Lupin looked down to find the kitten sitting there. looking up at him with large yellow eyes. intensely interested in him. he stroked it with the back of his finger. and the cat immediately went about purring. as if a switch had been turned on.

Sirius reappeared a few seconds later. having shrugged himself out of his peacoat that he'd slept all night in. but still wearing his hoody. which looked ridiculous with his white boxers with a phoenix across one leg. his dark hair was tousled about his head. but did nothing to detract from his handsomeness.

"water's on." he mumbled and sat down at Lupin's side. then reached out and stroked the kitten as well. "strange." he said. "i don't get the urge to chase after this." he scratched it under the chin with the crook of his finger. to which it promptly attached itself with its tiny teeth.

"you're a disgrace to canines everywhere." said Lupin. smiling slightly.

"oh yeah. you're one to talk. you bloody fool of a dog." Sirius countered simply. prying his finger loose from the cat's mouth as he heard the kettle whistle from the kitchen. having cursed it to heat faster.

the kitten – frightened by the shrill - bolted upright and tore across Lupin's legs. pounced to the ground with a squeak and disappeared beneath the sofa. poking its head out only when Sirius had shambled into the kitchen and stopped it.

Lupin watched the ridiculous kitten for a moment before letting his eyes move up to the sleeping form of Snape. his thin chest rose and fell weakly beneath the blankets. his lips together. his large nostrils flaring with each breath. he looked worse than he had last night. or maybe he didn't and his eyes were just fooling him. it was completely possible. he had had a trying night.

he blinked a couple of times before Sirius came back into the room.

"I saw you had to use a potion." Lupin said. watching Black carrying a full green teacup towards him.

"yeah." Sirius said as he handed it off carefully. "little Snivelly got cold as death last night so I gave him the warming draught." he was well intentioned to reveal the details to Lupin when he could better handle them. he'd been thinking about it while he'd been making the tea. and had decided that that was the smartest of his options.

"hm." was all Lupin said as he tipped the cup towards his lips. sipping lightly.

"how was it this time?" Sirius asked. standing at his side and looking at Snape as well. he was asking about the transformation.

Lupin tipped his hands for another sip of tea before settling back. sighing. "same as always. no better. no worse."

Sirius nodded his head understandingly. by this time in their friendship he'd learned to properly gauge the intensity at which Lupin transformed. he'd seen some horrible ones. this most recent time. however. had been one of the better.

"sorry I had to leave you last night. but i appreciate what you do for me..." Lupin began. but only got a dismissive wave as Sirius headed up the stairs.

"yeah. yeah." he called back over his shoulder. "just drink your tea you sappy git. and when you're up to it let's go to town. I still have to find you a christmas present." and he went up the steps. his voice trailing away after him. "maybe we can even leave Snivellus in Hogsmeade accidentally. I'm sure the Hogshead is looking for a new doormat."

and Lupin smiled faintly.


End file.
